Daughters of the Azure
by Molly Renata
Summary: When the timeline shifts, two sisters meet during a lull in the action, and together they pursue the man they both love. RagnaxNuxNoel, AU.
1. Chapter 1

**-Daughters of the Azure-**

_Author's Notes: This is a little fic idea that's been floating around in my head for a little while. As of late, I've been having a lot of trouble coming up with chapter titles, so I think I'll just leave them unnamed for now unless I can think of something better._

_Pairings: Nu x Noel, Ragna x Nu, Ragna x Noel, possibly some others later on  
_

_Warnings: There will probably be some sexual situations later on, as well as possible violence.  
_

_Disclaimer: I do not own BlazBlue, Arc System Works or anything associated with them._

**-0-0-**

_"I don't... understand."_

_The girl drifted in the vast expanse of blue, a dream she would likely forget upon waking; however, for the moment, she was enveloped by the embrace of the Azure, her life's calling. She peered up at the light that shone in the distance, confused and terrified._

_'__They__ have moved. You are to prevent their ruination of the world at all costs. You, as the inheritor of this great power, are the only one that can fulfill that task. Now, go forth... child of the Azure. Prove that you can bring an end to this conflict.'_

_For the briefest of moments, her eyes glowed blue. She didn't know why, nor did she know who the voice that spoke to her was. But somehow, deep within her heart, she knew that something, somewhere, had changed._

_And even as she woke from the peculiar dream, she could not ignore the single blood-red eye that seemed to watch her from afar._

**-0-**

"...huh?"

Noel sat up in bed, a bit surprised; the sky was still dark, and she never woke up this early. She glanced around the room, blinked a few times, then breathed a sigh and settled back down into bed.

Something had woken her up, but she had no idea what it was. Maybe it was just her body being unruly...

A wave of nausea descended upon her, and she jolted back into a sitting position. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, but the nausea did not recede; she stood up, staggered to the bathroom, and stood over the sink.

It was there that she saw someone staring at her through the mirror.

"What...?"

As quickly as it had come, the nausea faded; however, she could not peel her eyes away from the person in the mirror. A pale-skinned girl that looked no older than her, with long, silvery-white hair tied into a single braid in back, and one red eye, the other concealed by a mysterious eyepatch.

"Who are you...?" Noel asked, tentative, as she placed her fingertips on the mirror.

The response was immediate; a small voice, similar enough to her own to make her step back in surprise, sounded from the girl in the mirror. "I'm Nu-13. This is just a projection ars... I'm not actually here. I just wanted to talk to you a little bit."

"...Me?" Noel stared back at the girl in the mirror, still a bit startled. "How... do you know me?"

The girl named Nu answered with no hesitation. "You're my sister, Noel. We never really got to know each other, but we're sisters. And I want to meet you in person... could you come to Orient Town at 9:30 AM? It's still early now, so you can go back to bed if you want, but be sure to wake up in time for the meeting!"

And with that, her image faded. Noel continued to stare, unsure of how to respond to the mysterious request.

"My... sister...? But... I don't have any siblings... do I...?"

**-0-**

An oppressive feeling filled the air; even as Noel walked through the busy streets of Orient Town, she couldn't help but feel a strange emptiness about her. A sister she'd never gotten to know... she had no idea what to expect, and moreover, had Nu been waiting all this time for her?

The young albino had said something about meeting up in Orient Town at around 9:30 AM... but Noel didn't have the first clue where to look. So instead, she wandered, searching for the person that had called her.

"Hi!"

The voice startled Noel; as soon as she turned to search for its source, a familiar face came hurtling out of the crowds and tackled her to the ground in a ferocious hug. Noel blinked twice, stared up at the person who'd tackled her, and then made an attempt to push herself out from beneath her.

Nu realized her mistake and stood up, scratching the back of her head. "Sorry about that... Nu was just so happy to see Noel..."

"...Um, hello?" Still uncertain, Noel stood up and gave Nu a curious look. "I... guess I was on time, then? I didn't really check..."

"Yep, right on time!" Nu pulled Noel into a much lighter hug, and a grin drew across her face. "So, um... would you mind if we talked for a bit? Nu has so much to tell you about..."

Noel nodded once, hesitant. "That's... why you wanted me to come, right? Is this something... private?"

"Just a sec." Nu closed her eyes and whispered what sounded like an incantation, then she opened her eyes and met Noel's gaze. "Now no one else should be able to hear us."

"Okay..." Noel listened, preparing herself for a long-winded rant; however, the soft, almost melancholy look in Nu's eye indicated that whatever she had to say would hurt.

"...A long time ago, people figured out how to clone other people. And when that happened, they started messing around with making lots of new people. There was one group that was used as tools to explore the Boundary; these were called the prime field devices. Nu is one of those... and so is Noel."

Noel stepped back, blinking in surprise. "Huh? Me? A... 'prime field device'? What are you... talking about, Nu?"

"That's what you really are," Nu said, tilting her head. "And that's why Nu said she's your sister. Because we're both prime field devices, and we're both cloned from the same person. You don't have to believe me if you don't want to, but I'm telling the truth."

"...This _is_ a little difficult to believe." Noel stared down at her feet, an internal debate going on in her head. "But, um... I'll trust you for now."

"Thanks..." A genuine smile crossed Nu's face, and she tugged on Noel's arm. "Do you have a place you're staying at here in Kagutsuchi? Nu doesn't have anywhere to go..."

Noel returned the smile. "In that case, I'll let you stay in the hotel room I'm renting for my visit. I was wondering what I'd do with the second bed, anyway..."

Nu jumped up and down, excited. "Then let's get going! Nu will follow you, Noel, so just lead me there!"

**-0-**

The clock ticked the seconds away, akin to a deafening roar in the otherwise complete silence of the room. Even though Noel had taken this mysterious girl in, she had no idea how to break the ice between them... and Nu seemed so fascinated by everything around her that she didn't even bother to spare any attention for her roommate.

After what felt like several hours, Noel picked herself up and walked over to Nu, who had taken a spot lounging on the spare bed. A light tap on the shoulder caught Nu's attention.

"Yeah?"

Noel sat down beside Nu and looked away, somewhat uncomfortable. "...Since we're probably going to be living together for a while, I was just wondering... do you have any interests? Like, um... things you like to talk about... things you like to do... things you like to eat... things like that..."

"Interests...?" Nu hung her head, morose. "...Nope. Not that Nu can think of..."

"That's strange," Noel observed, raising an eyebrow as she lifted her gaze to Nu. "Most people have lots of things they like and dislike... in that case, do you like or dislike anyone or anything in particular?"

Nu peered up at Noel, blushing. "...Well, there's a guy that Nu thinks about a lot... his name's Ragna. I don't know why I know him, but... I just... do. And... I really like him."

"Ragna?" Noel repeated, taken aback. "As in... Ragna the Bloodedge?" She pondered Nu's words, raising a hand to the side of her head. "Well... I did talk to him once, but he was really mean, and he just pushed me away after a while... what do you like about him?"

"...You know Ragna?" Nu's expression and tone were both hopeful; it was clear that she liked Ragna a _lot_. "...Well, mostly just from what Nu remembers about him... he was a really nice guy... at least, he was on the inside... like, really, really deep down... and that's what Nu liked about him..."

"I guess... you have a point," Noel murmured, frowning a bit. "I didn't really get to know him... he could be like that deep down." She breathed a sigh, then continued. "Do you want to meet Ragna? He should still be in Kagutsuchi... I don't see where else he would've gone."

"Then let's go looking!" Nu jumped up, startling Noel. "But first... let's just get to know each other, okay? Nu can sense that you still don't really trust her... and besides, isn't it almost dinnertime?"

Noel glanced at the clock. "...When did all that time pass? Um, okay... do you mind takeout? I can't... really cook all that well..."

"Nu doesn't mind," Nu answered with a smile. "Anything's fine... and maybe Nu can find out what she likes, too!"

**-0-**

The rest of the evening passed in relative silence; Nu didn't have a spare change of clothing, so Noel ended up having to lend her one. Due to the presence of more than one bed in the room, the issue of where to sleep was resolved with ease.

When morning came, Nu was the first to wake up. She threw the covers off, pulled herself out of bed, walked to the window and stared up at the endless sky.

"...There's so much to do out there, isn't there?" the albino mused to herself, her thoughts wandering. "Nu wants to know what it's like..."

She watched the clouds pass by, obscuring the sun's light at regular intervals; she watched as the sun itself made its journey across the sky, prominent enough that she could track it even without looking at it. When the clock struck eleven, she noted the position of the sun in the sky... almost directly overhead, its bright rays casting light upon the city below.

And then, Noel finally awoke.

"H-huh...? It's that late already! Oh, no... I slept in!"

Nu turned her attention to her frantic roommate and giggled. "It's okay, Noel. You can sleep as long as you want... Nu won't mind."

"That's... not the problem," Noel muttered as she pulled herself out of bed. "I shouldn't sleep that long... it's unhealthy, and it keeps me from getting my job done." She blinked twice, staring at Nu. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Hungry?" Nu tilted her head, curious. "A little... but Nu doesn't really need to eat that much. Thank you for worrying, though... you really are a good person, Noel."

Noel sighed. "...Well, I'm going to go wash up, and then when I'm done with that, maybe we can go out for a while to get something to eat. And while we're at it, maybe we can look for Ragna as well..."

"Okay!" Nu chirped in response, enthusiastic. "Nu will wait for you, Noel! Thanks again!"

As Noel stepped into the bathroom, she couldn't help but wonder what exactly was up with Nu. _'She's so energetic... but it seems like it's just a cover-up for something really terrible that happened to her in the past. She's so desperate for attention, and so thankful that I took her in... I wonder if she'd tell me if I asked...?'_

**-0-**

The restaurant they went to was crowded, and Noel was quite anxious to leave once they were both finished eating; since Nu didn't appear to have any money on her, Noel paid for both of them. Anxious glances settled upon Nu as she walked through the street, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Noel.

"...Why is everyone looking at you like that?" the blonde asked, concerned. "Is it because you're an albino? I know that albinism is somewhat rare, but it seems like everyone thinks you're an eyesore or something..."

Nu hung her head, watching her feet. "It's because Nu isn't a normal human. People don't trust me... I don't know how they can tell, but they can. And that's why no one ever really cared about me."

"But... why?" Noel shook her head, unable to figure out why people would behave that way. "You're a human, right? Just because you weren't born like a normal human doesn't make you any less human... right?"

"That's what Nu wanted to think, too..." Nu murmured, dejected. "But that's not what everyone else thinks. People are mean... Nu doesn't like most people."

Noel took Nu's hand in her own and squeezed it once. "Even if most people don't like you right now, I'm sure that'll change in the future... and besides, you won't be alone, right?"

"...Huh?" Nu perked up at Noel's words and actions. "You won't leave me, Noel? Thank you so much... you don't know how much that means to Nu..."

"I know what it's like to be despised," Noel said. "And while I don't personally understand what you're going through, I want to do everything I can to help you out. So... I promise I'll do just that." She giggled. "We're friends, after all. Right?"

"Friends..." Nu nodded once, smiling. "...Yep. Nu and Noel are friends. And Nu will do everything she can to help Noel, too."

**-0-0-**

_Author's Note: There aren't any guarantees that I'll continue this - I've been struggling with writer's block lately. However, I do intend to write more, as you can probably guess by the stuff I mentioned at the start._


	2. Chapter 2

**-0-0-**

_'...I can't believe that. I just can't.'_

Over the course of the day, Noel had debated with herself as to whether or not Nu's statement regarding her was true; they were friends, yes, and they got along well enough, but Nu's proclamation that they were long-lost sisters was too farfetched to believe. Though it _was_ true that Noel didn't remember anything from more than around five years ago, she attributed that to trauma-related amnesia... not a difficult claim, considering where her parents had found her.

On the burning fields of Ikaruga, the rebel nation that had been reduced to ashes in what seemed like an instant by the acclaimed hero, Jin Kisaragi.

Noel was Jin's direct subordinate in the Librarium; she knew him well, but there was one question she had about him that was never answered. Whenever he so much as caught sight of her, he'd turn a look of disgust on her, and he always treated her like she wasn't even human. She never could figure out what the source of Jin's hatred was.

"...Noel?"

Nu stepped up behind Noel and placed a hand on her shoulder. Noel glanced back, tearing her eyes off of the window, and put on a difficult smile.

"Good evening, Nu. Did you enjoy your time out?"

"Yep!" Nu nodded in response, as enthusiastic as always. "It was so much fun! Nu got to see all sorts of people... there was a woman who worked at the local clinic, and a strange girl with a tail that called me silly names..."

Noel's tension eased, and her smile broadened. "That's good... to be honest, I was kind of worried when you said you wanted to go out on your own, but... I'm glad you didn't get hurt..." She paused, raising an eyebrow. "...Wait, did you say... a woman that worked at the clinic, and a girl with a tail that called you names?"

"Huh?" Nu tilted her head, inquisitive. "Do you know those people, Noel?"

"I... I think I do..." Noel looked down at her chest, then wrapped her arms around herself. "...They make me feel... inadequate..."

Nu blinked, taken aback. "Inadequate? How is Noel inadequate? Nu doesn't get it..."

"...She called me 'lacking lady'," Noel murmured, whimpering. "And... and the doctor's... so much... bigger..."

"What's wrong, Noel?" Nu gave Noel's shoulder a gentle rub, hoping to ease her new friend's sudden frustration. "Is something bothering you? Um... can Nu help you any?"

Noel waved her hand and shook her head. "...No, I'm okay... it's just... um... those two..."

"...Okay." Nu stepped away and nodded once; the subject was obviously a sensitive one for Noel, and she didn't want to press the issue. "So... you said that you're not really good at cooking, right? Have you ever tried learning?"

"Cooking..." Noel breathed a long sigh. "...Well, I've always liked it, but whenever I try it, someone gets hurt... I wish I could learn, but I don't have anyone to teach me..."

"Nu would like to try Noel's cooking," Nu insisted. "It's probably not as bad as you say it is... can Nu try it? Please?"

Noel stood up. "Well, I guess I could try... I can't really guarantee anything, though..."

**-0-**

A half an hour later, Nu had shut herself in the bathroom, and was sobbing in between fits of vomiting. Noel stood over what was supposed to be dinner, a distinct frown on her face; she was just glad she hadn't tried to eat any herself. An idea came to mind, and she sorted through her head for an ars that might be able to treat the issue at hand... she stepped up to the bathroom door and knocked twice, but all she got was a strangled groan in response.

"Nu, I think I found an antidote ars..."

Nu emitted another indecipherable noise; Noel opened the door and stepped into the bathroom, bearing the smell. She murmured a few words, creating a circle around Nu; in a matter of seconds, the albino felt much better.

"...Thanks, Noel!"

Without further ado, Nu turned and hugged Noel, tackling her to the floor of the bathroom. Noel struggled to push herself out from beneath Nu, to no avail; she'd never expected someone with such a fragile-looking build to be so strong. After a short time, though, Nu let go on her own, and then bowed to Noel with a smile on her face.

"Huh?" Noel tilted her head, confused by Nu's behavior.

"Nu will clean up the bathroom." And with that, Nu waved her hand at Noel and went about cleaning up the mess she'd made.

Noel sighed and shook her head as she stepped out of the bathroom; she wondered if there was someone, _anyone_, that could teach her how to cook properly.

**-0-**

_All around her, empty blue stretched out in all directions. The light that shone within the heart of the Azure caught her eye, and she turned to face it; she felt a strange sensation running through her nerves, something unlike anything she'd ever felt before, and she couldn't even decide if it was pleasant or unpleasant._

_'A new course has been decided for the future. However, the threat has not been eradicated... __he__ has escaped, and __they__ are using __him__ as their puppet. You must not falter... the fate of this world, this timeline, rests in your hands. You are the twelfth... the greatest of those children. You must remain steadfast... and accept your fate.'_

_A single, fleeting thought crossed her mind; this __thing__ that talked to her never seemed to refer to itself. She wondered what it was... the soul of a person who was unfortunate enough to be trapped in this dream, or the mastermind behind the madness that seemed to envelop the world as of late? However, before she could get too far with her thoughts, the light began to dim._

_'Now, chosen one... awaken.'_

**-0-**

Noel bolted upright in bed, sweat clinging to her skin; she rubbed her forehead, looked around the room, and then settled back down into the bed.

_'That was just a dream,'_ she told herself, eyes squinted shut. _'It was just a dream... nothing to worry about... but...'_

Something troubled her. It was as if she'd been there before; she didn't remember ever visiting a place like that, and she'd never had a dream quite like _that_ before, as far as she knew. A feeling of nostalgia swept over her when she recalled the mysterious voice in the dream... and then, without even the slightest forewarning, nausea.

She'd _definitely_ felt this before. She couldn't deny it.

Shaking, she pulled herself out of bed and walked to the bathroom; as soon as she stepped in, the unpleasant feeling in the pit of her stomach subsided. She glanced back, through the door, at the sleeping figure on the other bed in her room, and shook her head as she left the bathroom and returned to her own bed.

_'...What was that? What was that dream? And that... that feeling...?'_

Her thoughts ablaze, Noel sank into the bedsheets; she was no longer tired enough to sleep.

**-0-**

When Nu awoke, the first thing she noticed was that Noel had moved from her bed to the table; curious, the silver-haired girl climbed out of bed and walked over, taking a seat opposite her friend. Noel's expression was distant, and it was obvious that something was on her mind.

"...What's wrong, Noel?" Nu asked, her head tilted. "Did you have trouble sleeping last night?"

Noel's eyes wandered up to meet Nu's gaze. "I woke up in the middle of the night... after I had this strange dream... and then I felt sick, and... then everything went back to normal. But that's not the strangest part... the dream felt... nostalgic. It was like I'd had that same dream before... but I don't remember having a dream like that."

"You don't remember...?" Nu perked up at this; something in her memory rose up, knowledge that even she wasn't aware she had. "...Maybe you had that dream before, and you forgot about it before you woke up. That happens sometimes, I think."

"...Now that you mention it..." Noel tapped the side of her face a few times, then dropped her hand back to the table. "...On the night that you first contacted me, I woke up for no apparent reason, and I felt really sick... that's why I was in the bathroom in the first place. I thought I was going to throw up..." She shivered at the memory. "...I wonder why this is happening to me? I don't understand..."

Nu frowned. "It's probably not a good thing if you're having weird recurring dreams that you don't remember that make you sick."

"That's why I want to find out what's causing them," Noel said, her gaze lowering to the table. "Well, maybe you might be able to help... in the dream, I was in this blue void, and there was a light in the middle of it that spoke to me... it told me some really mysterious things, and... I don't remember exactly what it said, but... it was kind of scary."

"A blue void..." Nu processed this information for a few seconds, then stood up. "...Nu has been there before. That's the Azure. That's the place where this world comes together... or something like that. Nu doesn't really know the details." She paused to rub her nose. "But if you were in the Azure, and the light was talking to you..."

Noel blinked. "The Azure...? The place where the world comes together...? Why would I dream of a place like that?"

"...Well, if you were dreaming of the Azure, that means you really are my sister." Nu walked to the bed and sat down, swinging her legs back and forth. "To be honest... Nu wasn't really sure when she first met you, but... this just confirms it. You're a Murakumo unit like me... but..."

"But?" Though Nu's story still seemed a bit ridiculous, the memory of that dream convinced Noel enough that she was willing to listen; she folded her arms atop the table and rested her head down, watching Nu from the corner of her eye.

"You're not tempered yet," Nu stated. "And you're the most powerful of the Murakumo units... Nu can tell. You have the true Azure in you... that's something Nu could never hope to aspire to. But... since you're not tempered yet... you can't use it while you're awake."

Noel sighed. "...None of this makes any sense to me... all I know is that... you're my sister, right? And, um... I'm dreaming of the Azure because I can use it... but not while I'm awake... so you're saying I'm using it subconsciously?"

"...Something like that." Nu nodded once, then stood up again. "Anyway, Nu is going to go get cleaned up. And after that, can Noel please take Nu out for breakfast?"

"Breakfast?" Noel picked her head up, surprised, but Nu was already in the bathroom. She shook her head and sighed. "...I guess that ars worked like a charm after all..."

**-0-0-**

_Author's Notes: This chapter doesn't have as much meat to it as I wanted, but I really couldn't think of anything else to add that wouldn't have made it too long. Apologies. XD_


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: A fair bit of foul language here, courtesy of everyone's favorite SS-class criminal._

**-0-0-**

The minute Noel returned to her hotel room, she walked straight to her bed and flopped down on it with a gargantuan yawn. Regardless of whether or not her dreams of the Azure were recurring, last night's ordeal had worn her out, and she was looking forward to taking a nice, long nap.

Nu sat on her own bed, swinging her legs back and forth as she watched her roommate. "Are you going to go to sleep, Noel?"

"...There are a lot of things I need to think about," Noel murmured in reply. "I'm... still having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around this Azure thing... and the fact that I'm... really your sister. I mean... all this time, I thought I was just another survivor of Ikaruga, but..."

"But Noel can think later," Nu pointed out, insistent. "Last night was hard on you, and you need sleep. Nu is worried about you..."

The heartfelt look in the albino's one visible eye was enough to convince Noel; she'd never had siblings to fuss over her, and Nu worrying about her touched her heart in a way she couldn't really describe. Breathing a sigh, Noel slipped herself beneath the covers and gave Nu a grateful smile.

"Thank you, Nu."

Nu giggled and shook her head. "You don't need to thank me, Noel. Just get some sleep. Nu will watch over you while you're sleeping."

Noel chose not to answer Nu with words; she closed her eyes and relaxed, the weight on her mind eased by the knowledge that no matter what happened, Nu would always stand by her.

**-0-**

There were a number of people wanted by the Novus Orbis Librarium for various crimes and unpleasantries; a government that kept such a tight grip on the citizenry was bound to have its outspoken enemies. However, none were more famous than the man at the very top of the list - a man who had destroyed countless branches of the Librarium all by his lonesome, one who always seemed to escape the law no matter how hard the Librarium tried to stop him.

The name of this top criminal was known by almost everyone. Ragna the Bloodedge, the Grim Reaper. The price on his head was a sizable fortune at this point... some even said that whoever brought him in would have enough money to buy their own country.

In his childhood, he'd lost his right arm, and its replacement was a magic artifact of untold power. The Azure Grimoire, as it was called, not only gave Ragna superhuman strength, but had also stained his right eye red and siphoned the souls of anyone he dared to approach. And yet, in spite of this, Ragna was not without his fears.

As he left a restaurant in Orient Town, still aggravated by the company he'd been forced to keep, a flash of silver caught his eye. He dismissed it at first, but whatever it was, it was coming closer.

_'...wait a second. That can't be...'_

A chill ran down Ragna's spine. He knew that face more than anyone... a girl who looked innocent on the outside, but was anything but on the inside. The memories of his first encounter with her still stung in his mind; if it hadn't been for Noel, he would've fallen into the cauldron at the bottom of Kagutsuchi, and that would've been his end.

He hoped, against all odds, that she hadn't noticed him. He turned and walked the other way, and in his terror, he somehow believed that his hopes were true.

"Ragna!"

The voice made him stop dead in his tracks. Unable to speak, move or even breathe, he watched as the silver-haired girl approached him, a brilliant, joyous smile on her face. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable... this time, Noel wasn't around to save him.

After several seconds, Ragna opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Nu was standing in front of him, head tilted in confusion. She hadn't even made a move to touch him.

"...the hell?" he finally managed to blurt out, otherwise frozen in shock. "Nu? How the hell are you... I thought you were...?"

Nu frowned and hung her head, her gaze turning toward her feet. "Nu _was_ dead. But not for very long. After a little while, Nu decided she wanted to see Ragna again... and so Nu came back." She paused, tone softening. "Um... I also wanted to... say sorry for... everything that happened..."

"Nu...?" Ragna blinked a few times, then slapped his face. Sure enough, the visage of the little albino was still there. "...You mean, you're not here to... 'become one with me' or any of that bullshit?"

"Yep, Nu just wanted to say hi." Nu lifted her head a bit, just enough to look up at Ragna. "And to say sorry for hurting you back there. Nu didn't want to..."

Ragna breathed a long sigh, then turned around. "...You have a place to stay? I'll accept your apology if you'll let me sleep in peace for a bit. I'm sick and tired of always having to worry if I'm gonna wake up in prison."

"Nu is staying with Noel," Nu replied, her demeanor brightening. "But there's only two beds, so you'll have to share."

"Fine, whatever..." Ragna grimaced; he was _not_ in the mood for this, and the thought of seeing Noel again made him even more upset. "Show me to where you're staying."

"...Nu would love to." Nu stepped in front of Ragna, then flashed a smile back at him.

**-0-**

Noel awoke from a dreamless sleep, still a little groggy; she rubbed her eyes a few times, then looked around the room. After that freaky Azure dream she'd had, a nice nap was welcome... although on the inside, she hoped it wouldn't mess up her sleep schedule.

To her surprise, she was alone in the hotel room.

"...Nu?" she called out, eyes locked on the bathroom door. "Where are you?"

Her response came in the form of the room's door opening; in came a very perky Nu and a very disgruntled Ragna.

"Huh?" Noel turned her attention on Nu first. "Where did you go while I was sleeping?"

"Nu got bored," Nu replied, tilting her head. "There wasn't anything else to do here, so I went out for a walk... and then I met Ragna. I told him he could stay here, and..."

Noel blinked twice, then looked at Ragna. "...Why?"

"Is it really that hard to offer charity to a guy who doesn't even have a goddamn home?" Ragna pushed his way past Nu and sized up the room. "And I _just _had to put up with the most annoying little asshole...s... ever, and then _Nu_ came along! Can't you cut me a _little_ slack, Noel?"

"I..." Noel tried to respond, but her throat refused to work; Ragna's tone terrified her. All that she managed was a small squeak... and then, to her surprise, he walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"...Look, I'm sorry. I just... had a bad day is all. And I know we didn't exactly part on the best of notes, so... I can understand if you're still pissed off about that."

Noel stared up at Ragna, confused and a little embarrassed; he wasn't the sort of man that usually apologized to anyone, let alone someone he didn't get along with, and she couldn't help but feel a twinge of joy. On one end of the scale, he was her enemy, and he deserved no mercy... on the other end of the scale, she still hadn't figured out why she'd saved his life on that day.

_'That day...'_

She realized then what had been bothering her about Nu. The one she'd saved Ragna from on that day was the same as that sweet little girl who didn't seem to have an ounce of malice in her body. Comparing the Nu of then with the Nu of now, it was no surprise that she'd brushed off the similarities as mere coincidence.

And the Murakumo unit...

"...Nu?" No longer able to focus on Ragna, Noel turned her attention to the third member of their group. "Why are you acting so different from... then?"

Nu did not respond for several seconds; when she finally spoke, it was in a soft tone, almost inaudible. "...Nu doesn't have Murakumo anymore. This eyepatch isn't the Azure Grimoire, either... that's what Nu gave up to come back to this world."

"Hell of a thing to give up," Ragna muttered, turning around. "Does this mean you aren't gonna stab me anymore?"

"Nu wouldn't dream of it." Nu walked over to Ragna and hugged him; this action startled him, and he pushed her off of himself without a second thought. She fell back onto the bed, smiling... even if Ragna still didn't fully trust her, at least she wasn't alone anymore.

**-0-**

As the day went on, Ragna's anger calmed; despite himself, he couldn't stay upset with the two girls. However, there was still one problem that needed to be dealt with... and as Noel watched the sun vanish behind the horizon, she came to a horrifying realization.

"...Um, Ragna? Where are you going to sleep?"

The question caught Ragna off-guard; he'd been so focused on the fact that he was getting a free room that the obvious issue slipped his mind. "Only two beds in the room... nothing else to sleep on that wouldn't make my back hurt like a bitch in the morning... god dammit, why the hell didn't I think of this before?"

"Nu will share a bed with Noel," Nu offered, in a hasty attempt to halt Ragna's ire. "That's okay with Noel, right?"

Noel shifted in place and looked back at Nu. "W-well... I guess it wouldn't be too bad... I mean, it would be a little awkward sleeping in the same bed as another girl, but... it's not like _that_, so... okay."

Ragna chose to keep his thoughts on the matter suppressed; though he was grateful that the two girls went out of their way to provide a compromise, he couldn't keep a particular thought out of his head. The fact that they both looked so similar to _her_ didn't help matters any... he chose to dismiss the idea for the time being, and flopped down on Noel's bed with unnatural glee.

"...So I guess I'm going to be borrowing your bed, Nu..." Noel took a deep breath, then stood up from where she'd been sitting on the floor and walked over to Nu's bed. "I hope I don't take up much room..."

"You won't," Nu insisted. "And even if you do, Nu won't mind." She glanced over at Ragna and placed one hand on her hip. "Since Noel can't cook, would Ragna be nice enough to make us dinner tonight?"

Ragna almost jumped out of his skin when Nu addressed him; he took a few seconds to regain his composure and then scowled at her. "You're _really_ freakin' demanding, you know that? Fine, I'll make us dinner... but next time, we're just going out."

"That's fine by me..." Noel sat down on the bed, a light smile on her face. "Thank you, Ragna."

"Don't mention it." And with that, Ragna pulled himself out of bed and walked to the mini-kitchen installed in the hotel room.

**-0-0-**

_Author's Notes: Argh, I knew I forgot something in the first two chapters. I hope this silly save from epic Calamity Trigger knowledge fail was at least somewhat believable. -sob- Sorry guys..._

_Also, I'm more than a little worried that I got Ragna's characterization off here, so if anyone cares to help me in that regard, thank you in advance._


	4. Chapter 4

**-0-0-**

_This time, she recalled the location of the dream; somewhere beyond the comprehension of normal humans, a place at the heart of the Boundary. With her newfound familiarity, she felt more at ease when she lapsed into the dream... however, there was still one question that had not been answered for her._

_'The timeline is changing. Instability runs rampant in __their__ wake... and __his__ threat has not yet been neutralized. Child of the Azure... only you may stop that which threatens to reduce this world to ruin. Do not allow yourself to fall into __his__ hands... at all costs.'_

_The voice that spoke to her when she visited the Azure still had not introduced itself. Her fear would not fully ease until she knew the voice's identity... and it appeared to have no intention of introducing itself. So, instead, she turned her eyes upon the light and, for the first time since she entered the Azure, spoke._

_"I... don't want anyone to get hurt. That's... all I want. Ragna, Nu, Major Kisaragi, Tsubaki, Makoto... I want them all to be safe."_

_And the voice responded, 'Then that is what shall occur. __He__ has still not yet discovered this possibility.'_

_With that, she felt the dream begin to fade. Only one thought remained on her mind... who was the person that the voice spoke of?_

**-0-**

Noel's eyes slid open, and she glanced about the room. She braced herself for that which came after an Azure dream, but it never came; her stomach did not rebel, and the only side effect she noticed was a slight dampening of her skin.

One look at the girl huddled next to her on the bed confirmed that her sister was still sleeping. She turned her attention to the other bed, and was greeted with a rather loud snore.

_'...I guess I'll wash up and go back to sleep...'_

She slipped out of bed, making sure not to disturb Nu, and walked to the bathroom. Cold sweats were never fun, but at least they were better than the alternative in this situation.

**-0-**

As Ragna awoke, the overpowering scent of flowers wafted in from the window... he hadn't recalled any rose gardens near the hotel. Then, almost too late, it dawned on him - he was no longer _in_ the hotel.

The room around him was dark, lit only by a few flickering candles and the light of the moon far above. The Grim Reaper resisted the urge to attack his bed as he stepped out of it, rubbing his eyes.

"God dammit, Rachel..."

As if summoned by his complaint, Rachel appeared in the room, looking rather upset. Ragna glared at her, but said nothing.

"Are you displeased by your lodging? Suffice it to say that this is hardly an appropriate location for a dog to rest... perhaps, next time, something far more unpleasant should be in order."

Ragna tightened his fist, but again said nothing; he walked to the door, grasped the handle, and flinched back as a jolt of electricity ran through his hand.

"Th-the hell? What was that for!"

Rachel tapped her foot. "In the case that you made the decision to leave without my consent, I placed a spell upon that door which should deter even as persistent a mutt as yourself. The current situation is far too dangerous for one as untrained as you to be wandering about."

"...Where the hell are Noel and Nu?" Ragna demanded, eyes narrowing. A dark aura began to emanate from his right arm.

"They are within the confines of this mansion as well." Rachel frowned, then looked at the door. "Rest assured that I have no desire to bar you from meeting with them. Perhaps it would do you good to do so now."

Ragna blinked; in an instant, all the tension and rage that had built up within him left. "Wha? You're just... gonna go let me... talk to them? The hell are you thinking, Rabbit? You're never this-"

"I did not permit you to speak," Rachel stated, interrupting Ragna. "Be on your way, lest I change my mind."

She didn't need to say it twice; Ragna darted out of the room, without so much as a glance behind him.

**-0-**

Noel glanced around the room, frantic; she'd been able to sleep through the rest of the night, but when she opened her eyes, what greeted her was unfamiliar and very creepy. Nu snoozed beside her, unbothered by the sudden change in surroundings.

"...Nu?" Noel inquired, frowning. Nu gave a loud snore in response.

Just as the blonde considered standing up and looking around the building she was in, the door opened. A frantic-looking Ragna stood on the other side.

"Hey... hey, Nu... Noel... you two okay?"

Noel looked up at Ragna, confused. "H-huh? I'm... I'm just fine... um, what's wrong?"

"...That crazy rabbit dragged us out here," Ragna muttered, pulling the door shut behind him as he stepped in. "I don't know what's going on in her head, but I think I would've liked staying out there a hell of a lot more."

"I'm... sure she has her reasons..." Noel folded her hands in front of her, not sure how she really felt about her statement. "...But, um... maybe we should take some time to know each other better? I mean... she's given us the opportunity, so..."

Nu rolled over on her back and blinked one eye up at Ragna. "Huh...? When did you get here, Ragna...?" She paused and blinked again. "...Where are we...?"

"We're at Rachel's," Ragna replied, scowling. "And Noel, she's locked me out of the rest of this godforsaken place. Only way I can get out is if I ask her first."

"Why don't we talk to her?" Noel inclined her head to one side. "Maybe we can get the restriction lifted for visiting us..."

Nu perked up, intrigued. "Or maybe Nu and Noel can come stay with Ragna instead!"

Ragna flinched and shook his head, while Noel turned a dark shade of red; they both looked away from Nu, and silence fell upon the room for a few seconds... until Nu decided to break it.

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with us sharing a room? We're friends, right?"

"Nu... there's only one bed in my room," Ragna stated, lowering his gaze. "If you two came in there..."

"...Huh?" Nu blinked, confused. "What's wrong with that? Does Ragna not like Nu?"

Ragna buried his face in his hands. "No, goddammit, that's not it! Don't you- don't you know what that means, Nu! It means you'll have to share a bed with me! _Both_ of you! And-" He cut himself off, shaking his head again. The thoughts running through his head were too filthy for a sewer.

"Nu still doesn't get it..." Nu sighed and pulled herself up, frowning. "What's wrong with that? If Ragna likes Nu, there shouldn't be any problem with it, right?"

"Look, I'm not letting you two stay in my room!" Ragna turned around and walked to the door, then glanced back. "So don't get any funny ideas, okay?"

With that, he was gone. Nu and Noel looked at each other; then, Noel breathed a sigh.

"...What were you thinking, Nu?"

Nu hung her head. "I just wanted to be closer to Ragna... so much for that... maybe there's some other way to get closer to him?"

"If that's what you wanted, you were much too forward," Noel observed. "And... besides, you said... I'd come along, too..."

"But don't you like Ragna, too?" Nu pointed out, tilting her head. "So why would Noel complain about that?"

Noel frowned. "...Can we talk about this later? I'm hungry..."

"...Okay!" Nu nodded, then stood up and bounded over to the door. "Nu will get Noel something to eat, okay? That'll make everything better!"

**-0-**

Ragna was locked in his room for the remainder of the day, and Rachel was nowhere to be found. Nu gave up on her search, and she and Noel promised each other that they'd try again tomorrow.

No matter what time of day it was, the full moon always hung high in the sky above the Alucard mansion; the only way anyone could tell the time was with the aid of a clock. As evening came, Nu still did not feel tired, and she watched the moon even as her companion fell asleep.

"...What's going on with me?" the silver-haired girl mused aloud. "Why can't I sleep...? This is weird... I should be tired, but..."

She glanced at the clock and sighed. There were few things to do in the mansion, and although there were many books, she didn't really feel like reading. Her mind wandered as she tried to figure out some way to alleviate her boredom... and then, her thoughts settled upon one specific possibility that seemed irresistible for some reason.

"Huh...? Why..."

She looked down at herself, confused. Then, she stood up, let out a soft whimper, and stepped out of the room.

**-0-0-**

_Author's Note: I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates as of late. Writer's block hit me hard, and I'm having trouble with... pretty much everything as a result. Don't worry, I haven't abandoned this fic - I fully intend to continue and hopefully complete it._

_Anyway, now that that's done with... anyone care to guess what Nu was up to? It'll be revealed properly later, but what's the harm in a little guessing beforehand? =P_


	5. Chapter 5

**-0-0-**

Noel awoke from a dreamless sleep; though she'd visited the Azure in her dreams several times, it seemed as if whatever the voice within was had nothing to say to her this night. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, then glanced around the room.

Her eyes settled upon the bed, and she blinked when she realized that Nu was absent.

"...Where'd she go, I wonder? I hope she didn't go too far..."

Shaking her head, Noel pulled herself to her feet and walked to the door. A fleeting thought crossed her mind, but she ignored it and pushed the door open. There were far more pressing matters to attend to than Nu's conspicuous disappearance.

**-0-**

A very disgruntled Ragna paced back and forth in his room, bored out of his mind. There was nothing interesting to do, and he hadn't had the opportunity to speak with Rachel since their last encounter... the annoying vampire was likely avoiding him on purpose just to annoy him.

He buried his face in one hand and groaned.

"That bitch... I swear to God I'm gonna kick her ass the next time I see her..."

The words had no sooner left his mouth than Rachel appeared, stepping through a portal in midair and settling herself down upon the bed. Ragna gave her a sharp glare.

"Would that you were able to, Ragna. I doubt you would even be capable of laying a finger upon me." Rachel taunted Ragna in an even tone, as relaxed and composed as always; however, her voice softened as she continued. "You wished to visit the girls, did you not?"

Ragna groaned in response. "And _how_, exactly, did you know _that?_ Are you some kinda mind-reader or some bullshit like that?"

"I would prefer for you to cease referring to my abilities as bovine excrement," Rachel stated, frowning. "And for your information, I have been observing you for quite some time. However, at the present, that is of little importance. So long as Valkenhayn is available to keep watch, I shall allow you to roam this mansion as you see fit. That includes visiting Nu and Noel."

"...I don't get it," Ragna muttered. "Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?"

"I do not feel that you should be privy to that question's answer at this time." Rachel stood up and turned away, then glanced over her shoulder. "Please, do refrain from making too much noise."

Ragna blinked, but Rachel had disappeared before he could respond to her statement. He continued to stare for some time, mulling over what she'd said in his head.

_'Noise... wait, did she mean...'_

A new wave of fury claimed him, and he stomped out of the room without so much as a second thought. The only thing that could calm him down now was a nice visit to some people he actually got along with.

**-0-**

Nu stepped into her room and seated herself, looking around; Noel was nowhere to be found, and odds were that Ragna was busy as well. One issue had been taken care of, but she was still bored.

Her thoughts turned to the events of the past few days. She'd escaped the cauldron in search of Ragna and Noel, and when she met them, she was surprised at their hospitality. She would've thought that Ragna, at least, would hold some sort of grudge against her, given their history together... but he seemed to appreciate her presence, a fact that made her heart almost burst with joy.

For the first time in several thousand years, she felt as if all was right in the world.

"...Hey, Nu."

The voice startled Nu; she looked up at the doorway and saw Ragna standing there, a distinct scowl in his eyes. She waved him over with a smile, tilting her head.

"Hi, Ragna! How are you feeling?"

Ragna walked over to the bed and sat down on it, then breathed a long sigh. "Rachel's being an annoying bitch again. The usual."

"Oh..." Nu's smile faded, and she began to think of ways to cheer Ragna up. "...Well, if Ragna wants to talk, Nu is here. Or... if you just want to spend time with me..."

"...Actually, there _is_ something I wanted to talk about..." Ragna lowered his gaze, his voice hesitant. "You're... shit, how do I explain this... well... I like being around you. You and Noel both. It's... I don't know why, but it's... calming. Relaxing. Feels nice. And it sure as hell beats hanging out with that bunny-leech."

Nu catapulted herself out of her seat and tackled Ragna down on the bed, grinning. "Really? You really mean it? You like being around Nu? That makes me really, really happy! Thank you, Ragna..."

Ragna twitched a few times under Nu's grip, and then shoved her off. "Could you please _not_ do that!"

"Oh... sorry..." Her mood dampened by Ragna's reaction, Nu tried to make herself as small as possible. "...are you mad at me, Ragna?"

"Huh?" Ragna blinked, confused; Nu's ability to change demeanor in the blink of an eye was more than a little baffling. "No, I'm not mad at you, just... don't do that. I... like my personal space."

Nu tilted her head, once again cheering up. "Okay! Thank you, Ragna! Nu will ask next time... would that be better?"

"...Yeah, why not?" Ragna gave his consent with a nod, then laid back on the bed. "Say, you seen Noel anywhere? I couldn't find her when I looked. Only thing I can be sure of is that she's still somewhere in the mansion."

"Huh?" Nu shook her head. "...No, Nu hasn't seen Noel. Sorry..."

"Figures..." Ragna groaned. "...I guess I'll just hang out with you for now. If Noel doesn't show up, I'll go look for her."

"Hang out with... me...?" The suggestion left Nu catatonic for a number of seconds; when she regained her composure, a bright smile crossed her face. "Thank you, Ragna! Nu was really getting bored..."

Ragna sat up and nodded, smirking. "Yeah. There isn't much else to do right now, so why not?"

"Okay!" Nu scooted herself a bit closer to Ragna and giggled. "Nu would love to hang out with Ragna!"

**-0-**

Noel stepped out of the kitchen and sighed; as glad as she was that Rachel had shown her where it was, having no one to talk to made meals boring. She stopped in the middle of the hallway, losing herself in thought; so much had happened in the past few days, and she really wasn't sure what to make of it... or the dreams of the Azure that seemed to happen every so often.

Then, she returned to reality. Someone was standing in front of her... a _very familiar_ someone.

"...Rachel?"

The vampire gave a curt nod in response. "There is a matter of dire importance which I must speak with you at length about. Though I would prefer to do so in a more hospitable environment, this will have to suffice for the time being."

Noel blinked twice, surprised; how urgent was the issue that Rachel didn't even want to relocate them? "Um... okay. But... why are you in such a hurry?"

"Nu is suffering from a rather unpleasant condition," Rachel stated. "Due to her nature, she has an excessive quantity of energy, and she has virtually no outlets for it. I fear she will become destructive... I have but one suggestion for you and Ragna. You must entertain her... I shall provide you with a simple means of transit between this mansion and the outside, so please do prevent Nu from performing any unpleasant acts."

"Ah... huh...?" Noel stared at Rachel, stunned into silence; this was far too much information for her to process at once, and she hadn't even been given the chance to speak. "...okay...? I... I guess I'll..."

Before she could finish her rather incoherent sentence, Rachel was gone; sighing, Noel wandered down the hall toward her room.

**-0-**

When Noel arrived in her room, the sight that greeted her made her very confused; Ragna and Nu were chatting away, not even noticing the fact that there was a third party in the room.

_'Nu isn't acting destructive now, is she? I wonder what Rachel was talking about...'_

Noel walked over and tapped Nu on the shoulder. Nu jumped, startled; then, she looked over and, after seeing who it was, smiled.

"Hi, Noel!"

"...Um, Nu?" Noel glanced briefly at Ragna, then turned her attention back to Nu. "Rachel stopped me on the way here and... said that you needed an outlet for your... um, energy or whatever..."

Ragna raised an eyebrow. "The hell is she on about this time? I haven't noticed any difference."

"Nu will be okay," Nu insisted, shaking her head. "Rachel's right about me having a lot more energy than a normal person, but... there are ways of taking care of it, so don't worry about it, okay?"

To Nu's surprise, Noel pulled her into a hug. "...I can't just leave you be, Nu. If I can help you out, I will... is there anything you'd like to do? Like... um, would you like to walk around town for a while? There are plenty of things to see... and Ragna could go with us as well..."

"...Noel?" Nu blinked twice and peered up at Noel, confused and a little embarrassed. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Because you're a friend," Noel answered simply, then pulled Nu up and gestured at the door.

Ragna stood up as well. "Well, if Rachel's gonna let us take Nu out, let's go. I can't stand this place."

"Mm..." Noel nodded agreement, frowning. "...I don't really like this place, either..."

**-0-0-**

_Author's Note: This chapter's kind of eh, but I had trouble thinking of where to go with the fic. I apologize for any issues or inconsistencies, I don't really feel like editing this any further at the moment._


End file.
